Chrysanthemum plant -- Touch cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Touch is provided. The new cultivar was the result of a controlled breeding program wherein the Dinara variety (non-patented in the United States) was pollinated by the Penny Lane cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,238). More specifically, the new cultivar forms attractive bicolored single anemone flowers wherein the petals are yellow and the disc florets particularly towards the center of the cushion bear a distinctive orange-brown coloration (as illustrated). The inflorescence tends to be of the flat capitulum type when mature. The response period of the flowers is approximately eight weeks. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray under greenhouse conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat.,and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name Touch.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program which hadas its objective the creation of a new Chrysanthemum cultivar whichexhibits attractive relatively large single anemone bicolored flowershaving yellow ray florets and a distinctive brownish center, a flowerresponse period of approximately eight weeks, and the ability to produceflowers of commercially acceptable quality throughout the year in a cutmum production program. Such combination of traits is not believed tohave been present in the previously available Chrysanthemum cultivars.This objective was satisfactorily fulfilled in the cultivar of thepresent invention.

The breeding program which resulted in the production of the newcultivar of the present invention was carried out in a controlledenvironment during 1985 at De Lier, The Netherlands. The female parent(i.e., the seed parent) was the Dinara cultivar (non-patented in theUnited States) and the male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was thePenny Lane cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,238). The parentage of thenew cultivar can be summarized as follows:

    DINARA×PENNY LANE.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and plantletswere obtained which were physically and biologically different from eachother. Selective study during 1986 resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits attractive single anemone flowers having an overalldiameter of approximately 55 to 65 mm., yellow ray florets, and discflorets particualrly towards the center of the cushion which areorange-brown in coloration,

(b) bears flowers in a generally flat capitulum configuration whenmature,

(c) exhibits a flower response period of approximately eight weeks,

(d) forms attractive dark green foliage, and

(e) has the ability to produce flowers of commercially acceptablequality throughout the year in a cut mum production program.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings initially takenduring 1986, as performed at De Lier, The Netherlands, in a controlledenvironment has demonstrated that the characteristics of the newcultivar as herein disclosed are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation.

Touch has not been observed under all possible environmental conditionsto date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light,day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to growthretardant treatments.

When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to theImproved Hoof Lane cultivar which is similar to the Hoof Lane cultivar(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,299), the Touch cultivar is found to exhibit alarger flower size (e.g., an overall diameter of approximately 55 to 65mm. vs. approximately 50 mm.), a larger flower center (e.g.,approximately 23 mm. vs. 17 mm.), smaller and slightly paler greenfoliage, and reduced tolerance to leaf miner. The vegetative growth,response time, and the low temperature tolerance are substantiallyidentical to the corresponding characteristics of the Improved Hoof Lanecultivar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, atypical specimen of an overall plant of the new cultivar. The plant wasgrown in a greenhouse at De Lier, The Netherlands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described hereafter isThe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England. The color values were determined at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noonunder natural daylight conditions at De Lier, The Netherlands, duringApril 1991. The plants described were grown under standard greenhouseconditions which approximate those commonly utilized for the productionof cut mums.

Classification:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat., cv. Touch.

Commercial.--Cut anemone spray.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Generally flat when mature.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Approximately 55 to 65 mm. on average.

Diameter of flower center.--Approximately 23 mm. on average.

B. Corolla of ray and disc florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Yellow withdark center.

Color ray florets.--(Top surface) -- Yellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15A.(under surface) -- Ranges from Yellow-Orange Group 15A to Orange-RedGroup 31B.

Color disc florets.--Yellow with orange-brown coloration at the centerof the cushion, Greyed-Orange Group 169A.

C. Reproductive organs:

Gynoecium.--Present in ray florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Approximately 100 cm. on average.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Color (under surface).--Yellow-Green Group 147B.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant namedTouch substantially as herein shown and described, which:(a) exhibitsattractive single anemone flowers having an overall diameter ofapproximately 55 to 65 mm., yellow-ray florets, and disc floretsparticularly towards the center of the cushion which are orange-brown incoloration, (b) bears flowers in a generally flat capitulumconfiguration when mature, (c) exhibits a flower response period ofapproximately eight weeks, (d) forms attractive dark green foliage, and(e) has the ability to produce flowers of commercially acceptablequality throughout the year in a cut mum production program.